Summary This is the first ECB monetary policy meeting under the presidency of Christine Lagarde, who was appointed on October 18, 2019, by the ECB Executive Board. Incoming data suggest muted inflation pressures and weak euro area growth dynamics while ongoing...
Institutions
FOMC December 2019 Press Release Language Change
Summary Labor market remains strong with solid job gains. (no change) Economic activity has been rising at a moderate rate. (no change) Unemployment rate has remained low. (no change) Growth of household spending has been rising at a strong pace. (changed) Growth of...
Participant Data – Plan Asset vs. Participant Asset
Here we comment on the recent lawsuits of Vanderbilt and Northwestern regarding participant data.
FOMC October 2019 FOMC Press Release Language Change
Summary Labor market remains strong with solid job gains. (no change) Economic activity has been rising at a moderate rate. (no change) Unemployment rate has remained low. (no change) Growth of household spending has been rising at a strong pace. (changed) Growth of...
ECB Press Conference October 24, 2019 – What Has Changed?
Summary As reflected in the new staff projections, expecting a more protracted weakness of the euro area economy, the persistence of prominent downside risks and muted inflationary pressures with further downgrade of the inflation outlook. (changed) Lowers the...
Quarterly Market Commentary – 2019 Q3
This is the 3rd quarter of 2019 market commentary which represents the current views of Chao & Company, LTD.
2020 Social Security Cost of Living Adjustment Announced
Based on the increase in the Consumer Price Index (CPI-W) from the third quarter of 2018 through the third quarter of 2019, Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI) beneficiaries will receive a 1.6 percent COLA for 2020. Please retrieve the Social...
FOMC September 2019 Press Release Language Change
Summary Labor market remains strong with solid job gains. (no change) Economic activity has been rising at a moderate rate. (no change) Unemployment rate has remained low. (no change) Growth of household spending has been rising at a strong pace. (changed) Growth of...
ECB Press Conference September 12, 2019 – What Has Changed?
Summary · As reflected in the new staff projections, expecting a more protracted weakness of the euro area economy, the persistence of prominent downside risks and muted inflationary pressures with further downgrade of the inflation outlook. (changed) · ...
FOMC July 2019 Press Release Language Change
FOMC cut rates by 25bp and stopped shrinking its balance sheet 2 months earlier than scheduled. The market was hoping for more cuts and more clarity in the policy path going forward from Chair Powell and received neither. It is well recognized that the U.S. economy...
ECB Press Conference July 25, 2019 – What Has Changed?
Summary Keep ECB interest rates unchanged and expect them to remain at their present or lower levels at least through Q2 of 2020. (unchanged) Intends to continue reinvesting, in full, the principal payments from maturing securities purchased under the asset purchase...
Quarterly Market Commentary – 2019 Q2
This is the 2nd quarter of 2019 market commentary which represents the current views of Chao & Company, LTD.
FOMC June 2019 Press Release Language Change
Here we have highlighted the changes in the June 19, 2019, FOMC Press Release
ECB Press Conference June 6, 2019 – What has changed?
What has changed since the last meeting on April 10, 2019?
2020 HSA Plan Limits
On May 22, 2019, the Internal Revenue Service issued Revenue Procedure 2019-25, announcing the 2020 inflation-adjusted amounts for Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), as determined under the Internal Revenue Code § 223. Here is a comparison of the HSA calendar year 2019 and 2020 annual limits.
FOMC May 2019 Press Release Language Change
Here we have highlighted the changes in the May 1, 2019, FOMC Press Release.
Behind the Headline – Above Trend 2019Q1 GDP (advance)
The advance estimate for first quarter real GDP came in at 3.2% and surprised on the upside.
Quarterly Market Commentary – 2019 Q1
This is the first quarter of 2019 market commentary which represents the current views of Chao & Company, LTD.
ECB Press Conference April 10, 2019 – What has changed?
What has changed since March 7, 2019?
Behind the Headline – What is an inverted yield curve by Reuters
The 3 month-10 year portion of the yield curve has inverted. Many consider this to be the tell tale sign for an economic recession in 12 to 24 months. However, some observers consider the 2 year U.S. treasury yield curve to be the better indicator. Either way,...